Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Unique Home Accents to Make Your Home More Fun Are you looking for out-of-the-box decorating ideas for your space? Below are a handful of interesting accent ideas to up the creativity of your interior design. Hanging accent lights.  Caged, bubbled, modern, antique—there are myriad styles for hanging accent lights, which can be clustered, paired or used solo to fill up an empty corner or decorate a blank wall. Mantels.  Who says a mantel should only sit above a fireplace? You can easily install a freestanding mantel to rest photos, art or your favorite books. Another trick? If your walls are dark, paint your mantel to match and your items will suddenly be floating. Dips.  Dipped frames, art or even doors are all the rage right now. Imagine a series of white picture frames with their bottom dipped in gold. The best part? You can DIY these in a couple of hours; all you need is your item f

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties How to Choose the Best Houseplants Just like picking paint and furniture, it’s important to spend time choosing the best plants for your interior space. Not only should you be considering the care your new plant friends will need, but also how they will impact your space as they grow to their full forms. Below are several tips for picking the best houseplants. Understand sun exposure . The quickest way to shrivel a houseplant is by giving it the improper amount of sunshine. Take the time to get to know the sunniest and shadies areas of your interior, and pick plants that thrive in that environment. Consider maintenance.  If you’re choosing houseplants that need a good amount of TLC—water, trimming, etc.—make sure you have the time in your schedule and bandwidth in your brain to take this on. If not, pick a plant that needs minimal attention, like a succulent. Pick proper containers.  L

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Wood Floor Alternatives Worth a Second Look Wood floors are a top choice for modern homeowners. Proponents believe they offer warmth as well as elegance, but they do require care to maintain their luster and are costly. Fortunately, say flooring exerts, technology makes it easy to achieve the look and feel of wood flooring without the need for special care—and at a far lower cost. Check out the look and feel of these alternatives at local flooring or big box stores. (If you don’t plan to do it yourself, factor in $30 to $45 an hour for professional installation): Bamboo Bamboo flooring is an eco-friendly alternative to hardwood that is easy to clean, shrugs off wear and tear, and results in a similar look. Available in vertical, horizontal or strand-woven varieties, it will cost $2 to $5 per square foot. Engineered Wood Designed to handle moisture and wear, engineered wood flooring is

   Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Studies have shown that looking at certain colors can impact your mood, so if you’re looking to brighten your days, look at the walls. Orange This color boosts social connection, so paint a wall in your living room or kitchen a vivid orange and enjoy deeper, longer, joyous conversations. Yellow This sunny color is one of the most obvious mood brighteners, and there are many shades of yellow soft enough for an entire room. Green This earthy tone is a stress reliever. Roll it onto the wall across from your bed and smile your way into sleep. Violet This royal hue fosters creativity and intuition. Add it to your home office for more satisfaction in your work life. Fuchsia While this color is a tad bright for most rooms, fuchsia accent walls can still splash around enough of the color to make an impact.

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Retro Colors Make a Comeback: What's Hot in Decor Right Now Everything old is new again, and that goes for decorating with color. While the last decade in home décor has largely been defined by white and varying shades of beige and gray, today’s designers are harking back to yesteryear with paint colors, furniture and even kitchen appliances. Part art deco, part ‘50s suburban and part ‘60s mod, these awesome retro colors are fresh and refreshed to fit today’s tastes, say the color mavens at Sherwin Williams, whose wall color faves this year include shades of pink, aqua and pale or mustard yellows with accents of slate or peppery coral—great ways to set off the stark white of baseboards, crown moldings and door frames. Big Chill, a retro appliance company launched in 2001, is finding huge success with its growing line of refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers in pink, aqua, yellow an